Leona Kilmer

By editor

Created 08/18/2011 - 2:34pm

Leona Whiteman Kilmer, 101, of Colville, died August 9, 2011. Born in Jasper, New York on august 10, 1909, she was the daughter of Charles and Ella Woodward Whiteman. She obtained a two year Normal School Teaching Degree from Geneseo Normal School in 1932 and a BS in Elementary Education at Geneseo State College in 1958. She enjoyed learning and continued to take classes throughout her life. An elementary school teacher, she taught in a one-room school in the Owlville District in the Town of Woodhull, New York and taught fourth grade 18 years in Peters Township School, McMurray, Pennsylvania. She was an outstanding reading and math teacher and after retirement worked as a volunteer reading tutor in Black Canyon City, Arizona Elementary School into her late 80’s. Besides family and teaching, her passions were reading and handwork, especially crocheting and quilting. She married Percy Kilmer June 20, 1934. He preceded her in death in 1991. She was also preceded in death by her daughter Rosanne Bauer; by her parents, her sister, Rachel Cook and by her brother, Andrew Whiteman.
She is survived by her daughters, Dr. Sally Kilmer, Bowling Green, Ohio; Ella (Donald) Butcher, Addy; her brother, Randall Whiteman, Jasper, New York; sister, Ruth Whiteman, Montour Falls, New York; along with grandchildren, Michael Butcher, David Butcher and Jennifer (Bauer) St. Esprit; great-grandchildren, Dallas Lambson, Zane Butcher, Logan St. Esprit and Lilly St. Esprit.
After retirement, Percy and Leona lived in Black Canyon City and summered in Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania. They traveled extensively throughout the United States and internationally in Canada, France, Panama, Scandinavia and Switzerland. They were founding members of Keystone Fan Trailer Club (Pennsylvania) and belonged to several other travel trailer groups. They enjoyed searching for interesting rocks and other treasures. Leona moved to Colville in 1998, was a member of the First Congregational Church of Colville and the Colville Peace Makers Quilt Guild. Friends called Wednesday, August 17 at the H.P. & Son, Inc. Funeral Home, 1607 Main St. Woodhull, New York, where funeral and committal service will be conducted at 11 a.m. The Rev. Brian Diffenbacher officiated. Burial will be in Woodhull Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to the Colville Library Improvement Club Memorial Fund, 195 S. Oak St., Colville, WA 99114.